By Maya Pottiger, Word in Black During the pandemic, we’ve seen an exodus of teachers from public schools, but it turns out educators aren’t the only ones ditching traditional K-12 education institutions. In the first year of the pandemic, there was a 3 percent drop in public school enrollment, bringing the number of students in […]
Category: NEWS
Posted inPrince George's County News
Election Day: Where are the souls of Black folk in Prince George’s County?
By Deborah Bailey, AFRO D.C. Editor Election Day in Prince George’s County Maryland is a major affair. The County is Maryland’s second most populous county with close to a million residents (967,201) and counting. Prince George’s County is also the largest predominantly Black county in Maryland, with close to 60 percent of the population reporting […]
Posted inMaryland Government
Billy W. Bridges: A plan to bridge the North-South divide in Prince George’s County
By Cara Williams, Special to the AFRO Billy W. Bridges, 61, worked for the Prince George’s County school system for 24 years and has seen the county’s uneven economic growth, persistent problems with public safety, and lack of access to first-rate medical care. He has a plan. Bridges, originally from Mississippi, came to Prince George’s […]
Posted inNEWS
Baltimore clergy unite to increase Black voter participation
By Mylika Scatliffe, AFRO Women’s Health Writer A small, yet mighty and determined clergy cohort recently gathered for a press conference at New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore. They had a singular focus – to get the vote out. Early voting has begun, and this group of clergy wants to make sure that the Black […]
Posted inPrince George's County News
Moisette ‘Tonya’ Sweat calls for new leadership in Prince George’s County
By Cara Williams, Special to the AFRO Moisette “Tonya” Sweat, 49, is an attorney who has never run for public office. She says she understands the DMV political environment well because of her work with the local, state and federal government. Sweat says she is infuriated with what she sees as the “lack of leadership” […]
Posted inPrince George's County News
Sherman Hardy: Drawing on military experience to make Prince George’s County affordable and equitable
By Cara Williams, Special to the AFRO Sherman Hardy, 38, says he has always been the youngest in the boardroom and many of the rooms he has entered to make major decisions. The Air Force veteran, originally from Miami, Fla., is running for Prince George’s County executive because “I care about my county and how […]
Posted inArts & Culture
‘Rosie the Riveter’ and the Black women who joined a movement
By Tashi McQueen, Report For America Corps Member, Political Writer for The AFRO America had a dilemma. Men were at war around the world- for a second time. It was hard enough trying to keep a country running- much less a country and multiple warfronts. A choice had to be made. Would they let their […]
Posted inBUSINESS
Community banking to community building
By Byna Elliott, Head of JPMorgan Chase Advancing Black Pathways Last month we celebrated Juneteenth. It is both a celebration of freedom and a reminder of the work that still must be done to bring about a more equitable society. We should recognize Juneteenth each year as a time to harness what unites us and […]
Posted inNational News
WACs and WAVEs: Black women in WWII
By Mylika Scatliffe, AFRO Women’s Health Writer When we consider African-American achievement in the military names we think of General Benjamin O. Davis, the Tuskegee Airmen, and General Colin Powell. For decades there have been efforts to uncover and highlight the amazing feats of Buffalo Soldiers, Black World War II veterans and heroes of Vietnam. […]
Posted inNational News
Majestically she stands
Dear NCNW Members, All two million of us should be beaming with untold pride as our renowned Founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, stands majestically, exuding power and an invitational presence, in the Capitol of the United States of America!!! What an unprecedented glorious week in American history this has been!!! If the world did not […]
Posted inPolitics
Black candidates look to make history, and make political returns, in Maryland primary elections
TheGrio is closely watching the Maryland gubernatorial and attorney general contests and the race for the 4th Congressional District, where former congresswoman Donna Edwards is looking to win back her old seat. By April Ryan, TheGrio There are a number of important primary contests this upcoming election Tuesday. Two races theGrio is closely watching are […]
Posted inNational News
Vice President Kamala Harris Keynotes 113th Annual N.A.A.C.P. Convention
By Deborah Bailey, AFRO D.C. Editor Vice President Kamala Harris will keynote the 113th annual National N.A.A.C.P. Convention Monday, in Atlantic City, giving convention delegates both a progress report and a view of the road ahead for the Biden Administration. N.A.A.C.P. President, Derrick Johnson announced Harris’ presence at a press conference held at the Atlantic City […]